Coal mining machine



Jan. 12, 1937. F. B. YINGLING COAL MINING MACHINE Filed July 12, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 12,'1937. Ff Bf YINGLING 2,067,226

COAL MINING MACHINE Filed July 12, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ww QN K 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 N M gwuentoz F. B. YINGLING COAL'MINING MACHINE Filed Ju1y'12, 1935 Jan. 12, 1937.

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Patented Jan. 12, 1937 UNITE STTS PAENT COAL MINING MACHINE Application `luly 12, 1935, Serial No. 31,107

7 Claims.

My present invention relates to an improved coal mining machine of the portable type employing a power operated endless chain kerf cutting mechanism. A similar machine forms the subject matter of my Patent No. 1,996,135 dated April 2, 1935, and the present application is a continuation of the invention involved in said patent.

The cutting unit, as a whole, of the mining machine, is mounted on and projects from the front of a truck, and the unit, which is rotatably adjustable on its horizontal axis with relation to the truck, comprises articulated members of which the main frame includes side links hinged or pivoted on a supporting head of the unit and adapted to be tilted for adjusting the kerf cutting mechanism. A cutter head is hinged at the front of the main frame on an axis parallel with the pivot between the rear end of the main frame .'20 and the supporting head, and the cutter head with its cutting mechanism is rotatably adjustable on an axis disposed transversely of these parallel axes. An auxiliary adjusting frame comprising laterally spaced links is pivotally mounted on two spaced axes, parallel with the heretofore mentioned axes, and forming part of the cutting unit.

This auxiliary adjusting frame is power operated to furnish a direct and definite adjustment of the cutting mechanism andits construction and operation in the present application involve important improvements over similar means employed for adjusting purposes in the above mentioned patent.

When properly adjusted the articulated parts form a rigid unit, and the parts are supported on and operated from the four transversely extending axes or shafts of the machine, which axes are disposed at the four points of a trapezium, i. e. the lines connecting the four axes form a plane four sided gure of which no two lines or sides are parallel. Due to the fact that the lines are out of parallelism, and of unequal length, the links of the unit may more readily be observed by the operator, who is required to adjust and maintain the keri cutting mechanism in such manner as to insure proficiency in operation, and eicency and economy in the cutting operations. By the use of my adjusting mechanism herein disclosed, a more direct and precise` adjustment is accomplished for bringing the kerf cutting mechanism in the desired and precise plane, and further, the employment of screws and nuts as the adjusting media render more apparent to the operator the adjusting movement necessary for proper location of the kerf cutter.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention wherein the .parts are combined and arranged according to one mode I have devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention, but it will be understood that changes and alterations may be made in this exemplifying structure, within the scope 10 of my claims, without departing from the principles of my invention.

Figure l is an assembly View in side elevation, with the cutter head in section, showing the rotatable cutting unit mounted at the forward end of a truck, and indicating by dot and dash lines the trapezium arrangement of the axes for the articulated parts of the unit.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional detail view at the longitudinal axis and upper portion of the unit, showing `part of the transmission and clutch mechanism for the adjustment of the kerf cutting mechanism.

Figure 3 is a top plan view with parts in section of the mechanism of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view et the lower portion of the machine in Figure 1, showing the rotary head, and the links forming the main frame, partly in full lines and partly in section, and also showing the mechanism for operating the kerf cutter.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional View at the upper portion of the machine in Figure l, showing the links forming the auxiliary adjusting frame in section, and by dotted lines showing the trains of gears for transmission of power to swing the cutter head and kerf cutter laterally.

In the general assembly View of Figure l, a portion of the truck is indicated at l, together 40 with a track-wheel 2, axle 3, and part of the truck propelling mechanism is indicated at 4.

The rotatable, adjustable, head 5 of the cutting unit is mounted to turn in the fixed head 6 of the truck, and the main shaft 1 of the machine 45 which is supplied with power from a motor mounted on the truck but not shown, passes through the longitudinal opening or bore within these heads. At opposite sides the rotatable head is fashioned with a pair of arms 8, 8, in which two transversely disposed, axially alined sleeves or hollow trunnions 9 are mounted, and the main frame of the cutting unit which comprises laterally spaced links I, is fashioned with journal heads I l pivoted on these trunnions in Q il order that the main frame may swing for adjustment on these trunnions.

The hollow cutter head I2 mounted at the front of the cutting unit, is fashioned with a neck I3, and also with a pair of forked side arms I4 that straddle the forward ends of the links of the main frame, and axially alined hollow trunnions I5 are mounted in complementary bearing holes of the main frame and of these side arms, to provide pivot or journal bearings for the cutter head, thereby rendering the cutter head adjustable with relation to the main frame of the cutting unit.

The endless chain cutter I6, which forms the kerf cutter at the front of the unit, is mounted on the longitudinally extending cutter bar I1 of the cutter frame I8 in Figure l, and the endless chain is operated through the use of a sprocket wheel I9 on the lower end of the cutter shaft 20 that is disposed perpendicular to the plane of the kerf cutter, and journaled in bearings of the hollow cutter head and the cutter head frame.

By means of a locking dog 2I pivoted in the upper part of the cutter frame and adapted to mesh with a worm gear 22 on the cutter shaft 26, the worm gear is held rigid with the cutter head,1 thus preventing relative rotary movement between the head and its frame, after the desired adjustment has been made by moving the machine, or the gear, to prolong wear o-f parts.

The two spaced links 23, which form an upper auxiliary frame in Figure l for adjusting the kerf cutting mechanism and rigidly holding the cutting unit with the kerf cutter in precise cutting position, at their forward ends, are pivotally connested with a pair of forked arms 24 that project rearwardly from the cutter head, and at their rear ends the links 23 forming the auxiliary adjusting frame, 'are pivotally supported in axially alined bearing bosses 25 integral with or rigid 'with the rotatable head of the cutting unit.

As best seen in Figure 4, power from the main shaft 1 is transmitted to the shaft 28 of the endless cutter mechanism, through a bevel. gearcouple 26, between the shaft 1 and a transversely arranged power shaft 21, which is axially alined with the trunnions 9, and journaled in bearings at opposite sides of the head 5. A second gear-couple 28 connects power shaft 21 with a clutch shaft 29 and clutch device 30 thereon which parts extend longitudinally of the unit and are supported in the main frame I9, It, thereof. At the forward end of the clutch device 30 a gear-couple 3| transmits power to a transversely arranged counter shaft 32, which is axially alined with the trunnions I5 and supported in bearings coincident with the pivotal movement between the main frame and the cutter head of the unit. Another gear-couple 33 transmits power from the counter shaft 32 to a stub shaft 34, which is longitudinally disposed, and journaled in the neck ofthe cutter-head, and this stub shaft has a bevel gear 35 that meshes with a large bevel gear 36 of the shaft 20 and located in the base of the hollow cutter head.

Clutch control mechanism, indicated at 131 and mounted at an exterior side of one of the links of the main frame Ill, is employed for this driving mechanism between the clutch unit 30 and the large bevel gear 36.

For swinging the main frame on its axis 9-9 to vertically adjust the cutter head and kerf cutter in Figure l, power is derived from the power shaft 21 through a gear 38, best shown in Figure 4. The gear 38 meshes with an intermediate gear 39 on shaft 49 (dotted lines in Figure l) and the intermediate gear meshes with a forward-drive clutch-gear 4I loose on the worm shaft 42 journaled transversely of the cutting unit, and this clutch-gear has a clutch element i3 rigid therewith.

The intermediate gear 39 also meshes with a smaller pinion 44, which is mounted on a counter clutch shaft 45 journaled in the head parallel with the worm shaft 42. This counter ciutch-` shaft has a second pinion, '56, meshing with the reverse-drive clutch gear 41 loose on the worm shaft, and a clutch element i8 is rigid with this clutch gear.

Longitudinally movable clutch members 69 are mounted on the worm shaft intermediate the forward-drive clutch member and the reversedrive clutch member, and clutch operating means are indicated at 50 for shifting the longitudinally movable clutch members into engagement with either of the clutch elements.

At opposite ends of the worm shaft are carried worm screws 5I and 52 that mesh with two worm gears 53 one on the upper end of each of the two vertically disposed shafts 54 journaled in the ro tatable head of the cutting unit. Each of these shafts 54 has a worm 55 that meshes with a segmental or arcuate rack 56, one of which is rigidly fixed to the rear end of each of the links Iii--Iil of the main frame, back of the pivotal axis of this frame.

Thus it will appear that by shifting the clutch control mechanism 50 to engage the clutch device, and, through the transmission gearing described, the m-ain frame is swung on its axis for vertical adjustment of the cutter head and the kerf cutter when the parts appear in the position of Figure 1.

As heretofore mentioned, the axial parts for the pivotal movement at the rear end of the auxiliary, upper, adjusting frame 23, are mounted in bearing supports or bosses 25 at the front of the rotatable head of the cutting unit, and this entire adjusting frame is longitudinally reciprocable to swing the cutter head and the kerf cutter on the axis 32 for precise andaccurate positioning of the kerf cutter in a desired plane of operation.

For this purpose I provide power operated means best seen in Figure 5, including screw bars 51 and 58, mounted in the rear slotted ends of the two links 23, 23, forming the auxiliary frame. These screw bars are journaled to turn in bearings of the links and in thrust bearings 59 in housing 69 and 6I rigid with the respective links, and the screw bars are threaded in nuts 62, 63 having journ-als 64 in the head-bearings 25. By simultaneously turning the screw bars in, and because of their threaded relation to the nuts, the auxiliary frame is moved longitudinally to swing the cutter head on its axis 32.

The screw bars 51 and 58 are turned by power transmitted from the intermediate gear 39, through the meshed gear 65 rigid with a sleeve 66 and revolvable on the transverse shaft 61 which has its opposite ends journaled or secured in the journals 64 of the two nuts 62 and 63. A worm 68 is arranged rigidly with the sleeve 66 and loose on shaft 61, and this worm meshes with the worm gear 69 mounted to revolve with, but also to permit a shaft 16 to slide in its hub. The shaft 1I) extends longitudinally of the machine with one end journaled in a housing 'Il that is rigidly xed to the rotatable head of ift the cutting'unitand this housing has an enlarged later-ally extending sleeve 12 also enclosing part of the shaft 18.

The other end of the shaft 1I) is journaled in a second housing 13, which is rigidly mounted on the auxiliary frame 23 of the cutting unit.

To compensate for the longitudinal movement of the frame with relation to the rotatable head of the unit, the shaft 10 is allowed to oscill-ate in a bearing sleeve 14 of the housing 13, and a shoulder or annular flange 15 is fixed on the shaft to limit this movement of the shaft. The sleeve 14 telescopes in the sleeve 12,`and at all times these sleeves are in slidable or telescopic relation.

The forward end of the shaft 10 terminates within the housing 13, and a bevel gear 15a on the shaft engages a complementary pair of bevel clutch gears 16 and 11 loose on the clutch shaft 18 that extends transversely of and isjournaled in bearings in the -auxiliary frame.

A clutch element 19 rotatable with the clutch shaft 18 is mounted thereon intermediate the two clutch gears 16 and 11, and this element may manually be shifted for alternate engagement with the two clutch gears. The clutch gear 18 has a gear wheel rigid therewith that meshes with a complementary gear Wheel 8l beneath gear 80 in Figure 2, and gear wheel 8l is rigid with the clutch shaft 82 extending transversely of the machine and journaled in bearings in the housing 8D of one of the links 23 of the auxiliary frame.

The adjusting screw 58, which h-as threads extending in direction opposite to the threads of screw 51, is operated from the clutch shaft 82 in either direction, through a gear 83 meshing with a complementary gear 84 mounted on a cross shaft 85 with its ends journaled in bearings of the housings 68 and 8|, and this shaft transmits rotary movement to the screw b-ar through the gear-couple 86.

Screw 51 is operated from the clutch shaft 82 in either forward or reverse movement through the medium of a clutch element 81 slidable on and rotatable with the shaft, the element being interposed between a bevel gear 88 rigid with the sleeve 83 and a complementary bevel gear 89 loose on the shaft 827 and one or the other of these bevel gears forms part of the clutch to transmit power to the complementary bevel gear 90 on the screw 51. It will be understood that gear 83 and bevel gear 88 are rigid with sleeve 83 which is loose on shaft 82, and also that the three bevel gears 88, 89, and 9i! are at all times in mesh. The clutch element 81 rotatable with shaft 82 is shifted on the shaft for alternate engagement with bevel gears 88 and 89.

The transmission of power to the large worm wheel 22 to swing the cutter head laterally in Figure 1 when the dog 2l is locked, also extends from clutch shaft 18 in Figure 3, in which figure of the drawings will be seen a pinion 9i mounted on the clutch shaft 18 (at one side of the clutch member 19) and meshing with a gear 92 on the transverse shaft 93, and the clutch shaft also has another pinion Sla on the other side of the clutch 19 meshing with a gear 94 on shaft 83.

The shafts 93 and 93a extend through housings that enclose the gears 92 and 94, which housings and gears are shown as broken away in Figure 5, for the reason that these housings are above the plane of the sectional portion shown at the left portion of this figure of drawings.

The aline'd shafts 93 and 93a, 'are journaled in the opposite side links 23 of the auxiliary frame, and the outer ends of these shafts project into gear cases 95 and 96 attached at the outer sides of the links 23, and a tooth-clutch device is indicated at 91 for transmitting high and low drive through these respective shafts 93 and 93a.

For swinging the cutter head laterally in high gear, power is transmitted from shaft' 93a through dotted gears 98, 99, and Illll in gear case 96, and

the gear IDU-is mounted'on a'worm shaft IDI having a worm vI 02 thereon engaging in the worm gear 22. For swinging the `cutter head laterally in Fig- 'ures 1 'and 4 while in low speed, a pinion |93 on shaft 93 (enclosed in housing 95) engages a gear |04 on the cross shaft |95. These shafts are journaled at their endsl in the auxiliary adjusting frame, and the shaft |05 has mounted thereon the pinion 99 intermediate the two gears 98 and |99.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a cutting unit for a mining machine, the combination with a rotatable adjustable head having a pair of alined pivotal supports thereon, a pair of stationary nuts, and each nut having a journal bearing in a pivotal support, of a pair of adjusting links, a longitudinally extending screw mounted on each link and threaded in a nut, and means for turning said screws.

2. In a cutting unit for a mining machine, the combination with a supporting head having a -pivotal support thereon, and a stationary nut journaled in said support, of a longitudinally movable adjusting link having a slotted end, an adjusting screw mounted to turn in the slotted end and threaded in said nut, and means for turning said screw.

3. In a cutting unit for a mining machine, the combination with a rotatable adjustable head having a pair of alined pivotal supports thereon, and a pair of stationary nuts each having a journal in a pivotal support, of a pair of adjusting links, a longitudinally extending screw mounted on each link and threaded in a nut, a bevel gearcouple for one of said screws, a bevel gear reversible clutch-device for the other screw, means for transmitting power through the bevel gear reversible clutch-device, and means for transmitting power from the bevel gear reversible clutchdevice to said bevel gear-couple.

4. In a cutting unit for a mining machine, the combination with a rotatable adjustable head having a pair of alined pivotal supports thereon, and a pair of stationary adjusting nuts each having a journal in a pivotal support, of a pair of adjusting links, a longitudinally extending screw mounted on each link and threaded in a nut, a bevel gear on each screw, a clutch shaft and driving means therefor, a reversible bevel gear clutch adapted to co-act directly with one of said bevel gears, a cross shaft having a bevel gear engaging the other said bevel gear, and power transmitting gears between said clutch device and the cross shaft.

5. In a cutting unit for a mining machine, the combination with a pair of spaced alined pivotal supports, and a pair of stationary nuts each having a journal in a support, of a pair of adjusting links each having a slotted-end, an adjusting screw mounted in each slotted end to turn in a nut, a bevel gear on each screw, a clutch shaft and driving means therefor, a reversible bevel 75 gear clutch adapted to co-act directly with one of said bevel gears, a cross shaft journaled `in the links and a bevel gear on said shaft engaging the other said bevel gear, and power transmitting means between said clutch device and the cross shaft.

6. In a cutting unit for a mining machine, the combination with a rotatable adjustable head, a pair of spaced stationary nuts journaled in said head, a pair of adjusting links, a, longitudinally extending screw mounted on each link and threaded in a nut, and means for turning said screws, of a pair of spaced main links each having a pivotal support on said head, and a cutter head having a pivotal support on each of said four links.

support on the head, and a cutter head having a pivotal support on each of said four links.

FRANK B. YINGLING. 

